


I Walk the Line

by caramelmarkiato (klarolunatic)



Series: Lostmyhead [4]
Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 15:24:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7807090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klarolunatic/pseuds/caramelmarkiato
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With a forbidden romance in the Quarter, no one knew that goody two-shoes, Carolina Babineaux, was capable of keeping a secret from her coven.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Walk the Line

Nemophila Phacelioides. Baby blue eyes. Caroline’s favorite. Or maybe they became her favorite since her mother always related the color of the flower to her eyes.

Ever since her mother passed when she was 15, she was expected to carry on her family line. The Babineaux line has been known for it’s strong connection to the Earth since the earlier years. It wasn’t something she wanted to aspire to. For centuries, women in her family were expected just to bear children. It was either produce an heir, or watch her line die with her.

Caroline absent mindedly twirled the small flower in her hand, her eyes never deviating from the petals beautiful tints of blue that hypnotized her. Flowers in New Orleans wasn’t a very common sight, which is why her mother had a small greenhouse behind their quaint little townhouse right outside of the French Quarter. It’s how she gained her greenthumb. She never thought anything was more relaxing than tending to the beds of flowers. Not until…

“Caroline?” The flower fell in her lap as she turned her head towards the voice, her eyes meeting an intense pair of stormy blue ones, “Penny for your thoughts, love?”

A calloused hand ran gentle fingers through her golden curls, keeping her grounded and calm. She sighed and leaned into the man’s broad chest, “I’m just…” she fiddled with the end of her mint green sundress, “thinking. About my mother.” His plump, crimson lips pressed a soft kiss atop of her head, letting her speak at her own pace, “I guess I just wonder what she would’ve thought of all of this.” She let out a detached chuckle, “She probably would’ve disowned me if she knew I was going to be running around with the King of New Orleans himself.”

The free hand that he had placed in the lush grass reached for Caroline’s and intertwined them, “What makes you think she wouldn’t have approved? I’m sure she would’ve wanted for you what would make you happy.” She felt his small smirk against the bare skin on her shoulder.

Caroline scoffed, “Maybe, but she wasn’t much of a romantic.” She nudged Klaus teasingly, “She’s never had a great impression of any man. Not after my father left her.” She sighed, “She didn’t mind it just being us two. She just hated that he left without a single explanation. Running away from his responsibilities as a soon-to-be-father.”

“And what about you?” She turned slightly to look up at him, “Do you hate your father? For not being there?”

Caroline toyed with the buttons on his henley, having him forgone his regular necklaces in her home, the ones she loved to grab onto in their throes of passion, “I can’t hate someone I’ve never met.” Her hand dropped to rest on his hard stomach muscles, “I mean, am I get angry at the thought that he just up and left my mother? Yes. Do I get angry at the thought of him probably married with legitimate kids of his own? Obviously.” Her left cheek pressed against his right shoulder, “But in a way, I’m glad. If he had stayed, he more than likely would’ve left in the future.” A small smile played on her lips, “Especially after he would’ve found out about what I am.”

“He never would’ve been worthy of your kind heart.” Klaus nuzzled his nose into her hair, taking in her flowery scent, “And neither do I.”

Caroline sat up and turned around completely, facing him with a mischievous look in her eyes, “Of course you don’t,” she joked as she threw her arms around his neck, “but I took a chance, and found you worthy of my affections.”

Klaus chuckled as he pulled her in closer by the waist, bringing her to straddle his lap, “Oh, but that’s on you, Miss Carolina Babineaux.” Her nose scrunched up cutely at the use of her full name, “You couldn’t back out on a dare.”

When Caroline brought her forehead to his, her face grew soft and vulnerable, “And I’m glad I didn’t.” Her hands gently caressed his scruffy cheeks, “Even if it means my coven will want to burn me at the stake.”

Klaus tucked a fallen curl behind her ear, “Over my dead body.” He barely had enough time to finish his sentence until their lips finally met in a passionate, yet eager, kiss.

Looking back at their first meeting, no one would have guessed the two would’ve fallen completely and irrevocably in love, being that they should hate each other…

 

* * *

 

_ Bonnie made her way into the small cafe her and Caroline frequented since high school, the smell of espressos and baked goods wafting in the air. She slid into the usual seat they occupied every Sunday, her blonde friend completely absorbed into her physics textbook, taking a sip from her usual macchiato every so often. _

_ “Hello to you two.” Caroline’s head shot up at the sound of her friend’s voice, noting the playful smirk on her face. _

_ “Ugh, not now. Aside from Sophie’s constant pestering about not being concentrated enough at coven meetings, this physics class is kicking my ass.” She muttered, taking a longer sip of her coffee. _

_ “So I’ve heard. Grams have noticed you’ve had your nose in that book since last Wednesday.” Bonnie snuck a bite out of Caroline’s beignet, “She agrees with me. You need a distraction.” _

_ Caroline threw her head back and groaned, “I don’t need distractions. I need to be focused.” She glared at her friend when she noticed her still holding her beignet, “Besides,” she snatched it out of Bonnie’s hand and took a bite, “You don’t need me distracted what with Klaus Mikaelson and Marcel Gerard’s constant reign of terror.” She teased as she flipped her book shut, “You know how much they love us witching up the city.” _

_ Bonnie and Caroline stood from their table and made their way out of the cafe, “Well I still think you need to go out there and get laid.” _

_ “Bonnie!” _

_ “What? It’s true!” _

_ Caroline scoffed, “Whatever, the last thing I need to be thinking about is boys when we got King Pompous breathing down our necks.” _

_ “Assuming that excludes the men, right, love?” _

_ Caroline and Bonnie spun around to meet face to face with Klaus Mikaelson, the King of New Orleans himself. _

_ “If so, I’d love to help you with your dilemma your friend mentioned earlier.” A smirk etched on his stupidly attractive face. _

_ She pretended to think it over, “Mm, I’d rather die of thirst, but thanks.” She turned on her heel to continue to walk down the road with her friend. _

_ Bonnie was busy fishing out her ringing phone from her bag and when she finally managed to retrieve it, her eyes widened in fear, “Sorry Care,” she urgently started typing away a response to her sender, “Grams wanted me to stop by the shop half an hour ago.” She started rushing across the street, “Call me!” _

_ Caroline stopped, dumbfounded, as her friend left her alone with Klaus Mikaelson, of all people, “Damn you, Bonnie Bennett!” She muttered under her breath. _

_ “Ah, so you’re an acquaintance of the Bennett witch?” _

_ “Unfortunately.” She said bitterly, walking away from the hybrid. _

_ Klaus caught up with her, walking right alongside the blonde beauty, “And how might you have met Miss Bennett, sweetheart?” She just scoffed at him, “I promise I won’t bite.” _

_ Caroline stopped in her tracks, turning towards Klaus who was stunned by her close proximity, “One, that’s none of your business, Your Majesty,” she mocked as she jabbed him in the chest with her index finger, slightly marvelled by how firm his chest was, “Two, I have a name.” Her curls flew as she turned to walk away from him, “One that you didn’t even bother to ask for.” She muttered angrily. “And three, that was a ridiculous pun.” Her legs finally moved away from him, but could still feel him following her. _

_ “My apologies,” he trailed behind her, “May I ask of your name?” _

_ “Look, you might as well give up. Our kind don’t mix well.” _

_ Klaus smirked at her remark, “So it’s our feuding species that keeps you at bay, is it? Then let us start over.” He jogged in front of her, stopping her in her tracks, holding out a hand, “Niklaus Mikaelson. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss…” _

_ Caroline eyed his outstretched hand, then his kind expression. It had to be a facade, “Still not interested.” She walked around him and towards her home. _

_ Her dismissive attitude had him intrigued. He knew she was a witch, but he figured seducing a witch would have his advantages. She was a puzzle that he wanted to decipher, “One of these days you’ll take the chance,” he yelled after her, “You won’t refuse a dare, would you, sweetheart?” _

_ When she reached a busy street corner, she took the plunge and looked back for him. He was standing right where she left him, a smile on his face, mischief twinkling in his eyes. She did like a dare. A forbidden one was a lot more fun. _

 

* * *

 

Ever since, Caroline couldn’t shake Klaus. He appeared in her usual spots, sometimes he would walk with her from school, mislead her to a clearing that was now their spot, he even made appearances in her dreams. Finding out she was a Babineaux witch didn’t scare him away, if anything, it enticed him further. No one knew the two were romantically involved, and it had to stay that way, whether they liked it or not. But the sneaking around was the fun part.

Caroline’s phone interrupted the peaceful bubble they built from the world, still not ready to dive themselves back into regular lives. “Ignore it.” Klaus murmured against her skin, the vibrations of his voice and stubble scratching at her neck making it impossibly hard to push him away and take her call.

She giggled as she pushed him away from her and reaching for her phone, noticing she missed a call from Bonnie. Just as she went to swipe open her phone, another call from Bonnie appeared, “Hey, sorry I missed your call, I--”

“You need to get down to Lafayette Cemetery. Like, now.”

Caroline’s brows furrowed, she sat up and adjusted her dress that shifted a bit, in the corner of her eye, she noticed Klaus’ unreadable expression, one he only had when he tried to sort and assess thoughts, “What’s wrong?”

Bonnie sighed, “There’s someone here to see you.”

Her and Klaus stood from the ground and she ran through all the names she could think of that would need her undivided attention, but no one seemed to have urgent predicaments she knew of, “And who might that be?”

“Your father.”

Caroline’s breath hitched in her throat, her body completely tense. Klaus’ eyes spoke for him, he knew she never had any desire to meet her father, but since she didn’t have to go out looking for him, she was conflicted. “I’ll be there soon.”

“Are you sure, Care? You don’t have to meet him.”

She took in a deep breath, “Yes I do.” Her eyes met Klaus’, “He doesn’t owe me an explanation. I could go without meeting him for the rest of my life, but he owes my mom a hell of an apology.” She hung up and shut her eyes.

Klaus approached her, his hands running soothing strokes along her arms, “Are you sure you want to do this, love?”

She sighed as she opened her eyes to meet his, “No, but in some way, this is my mother’s closure. Mine. So I can finally let go.” Klaus wasn’t a hugger, but there were a lot of things he didn’t do before Caroline. It was the best type of comfort he could give her, his way of telling her that he’s there.

Her arms tightened around his waist, “I’ll be okay,” she shifted her head so she was looking up at him, with a smile on her face, “knowing that you’ll be there after this is all over.”

This woman fascinated Klaus. She was going out to face her demons, even though they may be opening up old wounds from her mother’s passing, and she could still smile at him and tell him that she couldn’t wait for it to be over so she could be back in his arms. He returned the smile and kissed her.

They said their goodbyes and Klaus watched her walk away.

_ I love you. _

Is what he wanted to say, but it just wasn’t right. Not now.

Klaus’ phone began to buzz in his pocket, he swiped, “Marcellus,” he ran a hand through his curls, “What urgency needs my attending now, mate?”

 

* * *

 

Caroline walked through the entrance of the cemetery. Of all the places to wait… If he didn’t know what she was, then he must’ve had some strange intuition to come here. Bonnie rushed out of the secret entrance in a mausoleum to their underground headquarters as she called it. It was such a cliche place to house their rituals and meetings, but Caroline pushed that thought aside.

“Where is he?”

Bonnie gave her a concerned look, “Your mother.” It’s all she had to say. Caroline took another deep breath and headed towards her father, “Caroline,” she stopped her, “are you sure?”

She shook her head, “It’s the least I could do for her.”

Bonnie knew and understood why she wanted to go through with this, so she let her go. Even if it hurt her in the end, she always knew her friend was strong. She’ll get through it. She was a Babineaux.

As Caroline turned the corner, a tall, stocky, dirty blonde man stood in front of the large stone that read her family’s names, and most recently added,  _ Evianna Babineaux _ .

The man noticed another figure in the corner of his eyes and turned towards her. His eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the appearance of his daughter, “Caroline?” She refused to break in front of him. He didn’t deserve any of her tears. “My, you… You look just like your mother.”

Caroline walked towards him, turning towards the stone, gently running her hand against her mother’s name, “Mom used to say the only thing I got from you was your eyes.” She said bitterly. He wasn’t going to be able to walk into her life and play dad now. Not after being absent for all 20 years of her life.

He sighed and hung his head, “I know an apology isn’t enough to make up for everything I missed,” he rubbed the back of his neck in nervosity, “I should’ve believed her when she first told me…”

Her head snapped in his direction, “So you left… because you didn’t believe her?” she said in disgust. “Why in the world would she have any reason to make up such a lie like that?”

He sighed, “Evey’s mother-- your grandmother, wasn’t very fond of me. She thought your mother should’ve been with someone that understood their nature.” She raised a brow at him. So he does know. “And when she told me she was pregnant, I thought that it must’ve been something to convince her mother that I needed to stay in her life.” He shook his head in disappointment, “I really did love her. I thought me leaving was going to be best for her relationship with your grandmother.” He sobbed, “I didn’t realize how wrong I was or how much I was leaving behind.”

Caroline let go of a shaky breath that she didn’t know she was holding. She told Klaus she couldn’t hate someone she’s never met, but she knew deep inside, that she harbored some hate, even the smallest, for her father that had abandoned her mother in a time of need.

“If you didn’t believe her,” she leaned her back up against the cold stone, “Then why are you here? Why now?” She gestured towards the stone behind her, “You’re 5 years too late.” Her head hit the hard, cold stone, trying to blink her tears away, looking up at the clear, blue sky, a tear managing to escape.

“I couldn’t see her,” he sounded ashamed of himself, “even after I heard of her death. I knew she wouldn’t forgive me for what I put her through.” His eyes never met Caroline’s, just the gravel under his feet, “But then I get something in the mail, telling me about the daughter I’ve abandoned. How wonderful you are, how happy you are. I knew I had to see you. Or try to, knowing you might not want to see me.”

Caroline’s brows knitted together, “Who would send something like that?” she turned to look at him. He pulled an envelope out of his suit jacket and handed it to her. She opened the envelope and pulled out the letter and noticed there was a photo inside. On the back of the photo, it read, in someone’s tidy script,  _ Caroline Babineaux _ , in red pen.

She flipped the photo over, nearly dropping it. She remembered this day. It was last weekend, Klaus had taken her dancing that night. She was so happy after the many attempts of getting him to dance with her. After their long night, she refused to let him in, since she had an early morning with Bonnie and Sheila, so he left with just swollen lips, her’s just as red and puffy. The picture captured her happiness perfectly. It scared her.

She flipped open the folded letter and started to skim through it. They mentioned her classes at Tulane, her friends, the members of her coven, and the man in the photo with her. “Does he really make you happy?” Her eyes dropped to the bottom of the letter where the sender left their name.

_ Marcellus Gerard _ .

“He does.” She looked up at her father, “Which is why I have to leave. I’m sorry.” She started to rush down the pathway, and stopped midway, “How long are you in the city?”

“As long as you’ll have me.”

She smiled at him over her shoulder, “Then welcome to New Orleans, dad.”

 

* * *

 

Caroline rushed through the entrance of the compound Klaus’ family occupied.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Carolina Babineaux herself.” Marcel made his way through an archway across the room, a knowing smirk on his face, “How can I help you, sweetheart?”

“Where is he?” She glared at him as he slowly made his way towards her.

“Aren’t you going to thank me?” He outstretched his arms from his sides, “For reuniting your long lost father who abandoned you?”

Caroline raised an arm, bursting pains in Marcel’s head bringing him to his knees, gripping at the sides of his head, “Where. Is he?” She said louder, making sure he felt the rage in her tone.

“Why? Afraid your lover’s up and left you?” He said through broken gasps. She just smiled at his pain and increased the intensity of his pain, his blood starting to boil throughout his body. “He’s gone!”

She released him from his suffering, his hands hit the cold cement, holding his weak body up from the pain still coursing through every nerve in his body. “What do you mean, he’s ‘gone’?”

“I mean,” He slowly picked himself off the ground, holding himself back from attacking her, knowing it wasn’t the smartest idea to go after a witch, especially a Babineaux witch, “‘gone’ as in, stake in the heart. One Mikaelson down, four more left.”

Caroline stared at him in disbelief, “You’re lying.” His smile was sinister, “How could you do that to him? To the man that raised you?”

He shrugged, “All’s fair in war, sweetheart.”

It still wasn’t processing. He wasn’t gone. He couldn’t be. He was going to be there when she told him about her father. It was going to be like every other night where he coaxes her into bed and they wouldn’t leave for hours, not even after the sun rose. The tears were welling in her eyes. He isn’t gone. He can’t be.

“How far did you think you two were going to last anyways, Care?” She looked up at him in dismay as he used her nickname, tears flooding her vision, “I mean, get serious. Would you have been willing to give up everything, your life, just to be with him?” She stared off in the distance, the tears have long but fallen, streaming down her cheeks. “You can’t have it all, Caroline.” He gently grabbed a hold of her shoulders, “Hey, look at me,” her eyes were empty, she felt nothing as her eyes met Marcel’s, “I’m letting you go free. You don’t have to make that decision anymore. You can continue your life, have babies, watch the Babineaux line continue for centuries.”

Her face glazed over, “I should’ve been able to make that decision for myself.” She pushed him away from her and walked out of the compound.

 

* * *

 

Caroline dropped herself on the bed, one of Klaus’ necklaces in her hand. Her phone rang. She knew that if she didn’t answer they would just continue calling. She reached toward her nightstand and answered the call, “Hey Freya, listen, now’s not a good time.” Her voice quivering a bit.

She sighed, “I need you to get to the cemetery. There’s a lot going on, but I know you need to be here for this.”

Caroline looked at the clock. 8:13. “I’ll be there soon.”

 

* * *

 

Many pairs of eyes fell onto Caroline as she walked into the room. She noticed Davina in a chair, her hands bound by spelled cuffs that suspended her magic, Freya, their newest, and most mysterious, addition to their coven, stood towering over the younger witch. “What’s going on?”

Freya’s eyes were cold as she continued to stare down the brunette, “Go on, darling. Let’s fill in Caroline about your questionable loyalties.”

Her eyes flickered from Freya to Davina, the younger girl sweating under stress, “I helped Marcel put Klaus Mikaelson down.”

“And why is that?”

Silence echoed through the cold, dark mausoleum, “He said if we got rid of the Originals, we would have less problems on our hands.”

“And you believed him.” Caroline interrupted.

“So you want to bargain our lives with Marcel?”

“What were you thinking, Davina?”

“It’s punishable by death to align yourself with a vampire!”

“You know our lives are safer with Klaus,” everyone fell silent at Freya’s remark, “No so much your own.”

“He’s still alive!” Caroline’s eyes shot up to the girl. “He is!” she insisted, “When Marcel came to me, he wanted a weapon that could kill Klaus,” she shook her head, “but the only thing that can do that is gone. It’s extinct. The weapon I made Marcel just incapacitates him.” Freya took a quick glance at Caroline, “Marcel had to have known that when he used it. He’s hiding his body somewhere.”

“Let’s go, Caroline.” she looked up at Freya, “It looks like we have a damsel on our hands.”

 

* * *

 

The walk towards the compound was quiet, “He’s my brother.”

Caroline was taken aback, her eyes were trained on the other blonde, “I’m sorry, what?” Freya chuckled, “Isn’t Klaus, like, a thousand?” she thought over her words. How is it possible? “I thought Klaus only had one sister?”

“To be fair,” she turned to look at Caroline, “Niklaus recently found out. He figured the less people know our relation, the least likely they would target our coven.” She smiled and looked ahead of her, “Sweet isn’t it? Protecting his love’s coven.”

“Do you--”

Freya laughed, “Oh, please, Caroline. You may be fooling Bonnie and the others, but not me.” She smiled, “I may not have known Niklaus for long, but I do know when a man’s in love.” she sighed at Caroline’s shocked expression, “Surely, you knew that. You can’t be that hopelessly confused.”

About love? Yes. She was.

 

* * *

 

By the time Caroline and Freya got to the compound, Marcel was already detained by Elijah and a visiting Kol. Rebekah only hours away, being in New York and Finn on his way from Russia. Freya approached her brothers, already having a comfortable discussion about what to do with Marcel.

Kol looked up from Freya and spotted Caroline, “So this is the pretty gem that stole Nik’s heart.” He smirked, “Now it’s finally clear why he was being so soft on the witches.”

Caroline cleared her throat, “W-where is he?”

“Knowing Marcel, he must’ve put Niklaus in the Garden.” Elijah wiped Marcel’s blood off his hands with his handkerchief, “You must be Carolina Babineaux.”

She shook her head, “Just Caroline.”

“Well Nik is probably waiting for his Queen to come and wake him up.” Kol sang, with a mocking smirk on his face.

Elijah shook off Kol and led Caroline to where Klaus was. She slowly walked towards the coffin that held Klaus’ body. “I’ll leave you two.” She heard Elijah’s steps receding up the stairwell.

Caroline’s hands lifted open the coffin, her breath leaving her as she took in Klaus’ greying body. His beautiful face covered in the dark purple veins in his body. She looked to his chest and saw the protruding dagger keeping him in his sleep. Her gentle hand reached towards the offending piece of metal and slid it out of his heart.

Her hand caressed his cheek like she has a million times before, “It’s time to wake up, my love.”


End file.
